2021 Book Talk Series
Discovering the World of Humanitarian Aid
About the Event
“Local Action and Global Change” is the first event in VCWA’s three-part Book Talk Series: Discovering the World of Humanitarian Aid. This all-women’s series will explore the complexity of international humanitarian aid, assess its impacts – for better or worse – on local communities, and share strategies for increasing its effectiveness. Authors include researchers, journalists, and humanitarians who will share unique on-the-ground experiences from around the world.
This first event will feature author Sarah Dawn Petrin, humanitarian and educator from Maine, to discuss her recently released book "Bring Rain: Helping Humanity in Crisis" in the first event of this series. Vermont Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray will join Sarah to share insights from her career with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Haiti, Uganda, Georgia, the Western Balkans, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This series is free to all VCWA members. We encourage individuals to purchase and read the book prior to the talk, however, it is not required in order to participate. This event will be via ZOOM.
We look forward to welcoming you to this discussion on the most effective and proactive ways to make a difference. VCWA Board Member, Denise Johnson, will moderate.
About the Book
What change would you like to see in the world?
“In times of crisis, the world seems fragile and out of control. How do we keep it all together? Turns out you don’t need to be a saint or a superhero to help your fellow humans. You can be your ordinary self and still do extraordinary things. The simple actions you take today can mend and heal a broken world.
Take it from Sarah Petrin, a girl from Maine who has been trying to fix broken people and places since she was 15 years old. Through her life’s work, she has found that no matter our circumstances, our humanity is the glue that holds us together. In Bring Rain, Sarah invites readers on a journey through 20 countries over 20 years of humanitarian service, and shares stories of the extraordinary people who taught her the rich rewards that come from helping others.
In this book, Sarah offers us a front row seat to incredible action moments from her life, then invites us to venture out into our own neighborhoods with fresh energy to change and be changed by the people in our world. We can create a better future for ourselves and others, by writing a better ending to the story of today.”
About the Author
Sarah Petrin
Author
Sarah Dawn Petrin is a humanitarian and an educator from Maine. Born in an African village during a season of drought, she has helped refugees since she was 15 years old. From responding to an active shooter in the Capitol of Washington, DC to being held hostage by a warlord in the Sahara Desert, she has borne witness to the radical acts of ordinary heroism that lead to global change.
Sarah has worked in more than 20 countries with the United Nations and the Red Cross and is the founder of Protect the People. She is a voice of authority who advocates for people in need. She teaches on the Protection of Civilians and Human Security at the U.S. Army Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute.
Sarah has a Master’s degree from the Refugee Studies Center at Oxford University. She lives in Washington, DC where she enjoys running with her dog, Toby.
Special Guest
Molly Gray
Vermont Lieutenant Governor
On January 7th, 2021 Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray was sworn in as Vermont’s 82nd Lieutenant Governor.
Molly has lived and worked in communities across Vermont, worked in the halls of Congress, and around the globe in humanitarian response and human rights. Rooted in rural Vermont with a career spent bringing people together to get things done, Molly is an unfaltering voice for the needs of Vermonters.
Molly was born and raised on a vegetable and dairy farm in Newbury, Vermont, still operated by her family today. She attended the University of Vermont on an athletic scholarship and competed as a Division I cross-country skier. After college, she helped elect Representative Peter Welch to Congress and moved to Washington to serve as a Congressional aide. Her commitment to service led her to the International Committee of the Red Cross, where she engaged the U.S. government on humanitarian issues and led field missions to Haiti, Uganda, Georgia, the Western Balkans, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Moderator
Denise Johnson
Vermont Supreme Court, ret.
The Honorable Denise R. Johnson was the first woman to be appointed a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. She served on the Court for 21 years. She participated in historic decisions regarding public school funding, gay marriage, and the right to privacy in one’s home, as well as numerous decisions reviewing criminal trials and procedure.
She was a leader in improving access to justice and was active in the field of continuing judicial education for appellate judges nationwide. In international work, Justice Johnson lectured on criminal procedure at the Universita di Trento, Trento, Italy, and on property rights and employment at-will at the Universita degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy. From 2012 – 2014, she was a Legal Specialist for the American Bar Association’s Judicial Reform Program in Yerevan, Armenia, and its Criminal Defense Capacity Programs in Belgrade, Serbia and Skopje, Macedonia. In 2016-2017, she was the Director of Judicial Education in Cairo, Egypt for the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative.